Essential Swim Gear For A Triathlon

by 1March 06, 2017

With Spring and Summer just around the corner this means only one thing… it's triathlon time. Whether you're a triathlon newbie or a seasoned professional, finding the right swimwear and equipment for your needs can be a tricky task. But don’t worry, we're here to help with our checklist of essential swim gear for a triathlon…
Let's start with the basics; every swimmer (no matter if you’re doing a triathlon or not) needs a swim cap and goggles. Swim caps do a great job of keeping you streamline in the water, which might shave off a few seconds of your all-important race time! They also offer protection for your hair from the elements whether that’s the water you're swimming in or even helping protect you from the sun rays, especially if you have long training days.
Goggles of course offer amazing protection for your eyes whether you're swimming in the open water or in a pool. The great thing about triathlon goggles is that most of them are designed to be streamlined in the water making them a perfect partner with the swim cap. Just like traditional swim goggles they come with all types of lens such as tinted, smoke, mirrored and of course clear. You should always try on several different pairs and styles before you buy to make sure you find the perfect goggle for you.
The next thing you should consider is the type of swimwear you will need. Now we aren’t talking about wetsuits, it's about what you wear under them. There are all different styles and designs when it comes to swimwear such as your classic women's one piece and men's jammers/briefs/aqua shorts, or a two piece. This can either be a traditional two piece bikini which is of course aimed at women, but for triathletes there is also the option of a two piece compression suit which are designed for both women and men. These help to make you more streamlined in the water. Another thing to look at is buoyancy shorts, which are aimed at swimmers with heavy legs to help refine their hip rotation. As with goggles, be sure to try different styles of swimwear on before you buy; you want to be as streamlined as possible in the water but you should also be comfortable.
Now for the all-important wetsuit. There are many brands of wetsuits all with different cuts and designs. The first thing you need to look at is what brand your goggles, swim cap and swimwear are. It's a great idea not to mix and match if you want your kit to be as efficient as possible for you. If you have a Zone3 cap, goggles and swimsuit then you should look at Zone3 wetsuits. Why we hear you say? Well that’s because the goggles, caps, under suits and wetsuits have all been tested together to make you more streamline and faster in the water. Again, when choosing a wetsuit try different styles, thickness, cuts and also sizes to get the right fitting wetsuit for you. If you're not too sure what suit you need you could always pop down to our shop in Faversham.
Another element to consider is training aids. From hand paddles, fins, kickboards, buoyancy shorts, snorkels to even a posture trainer. These aids will strengthen your swimming and fine-tune you to becoming a triathlon machine!
The last thing you will need to take a look at is your accessories such as a swim bag, socks, race belts, water bottles, towels, stopwatches and most importantly a glide stick!
And our essential kit list is complete! Did we miss anything out? Let us know in the comments anything else you consider to be essential in your triathlons. What triathlons are you doing this year?